I thought I’d do a book tag today, so sit back, relax and enjoy, as today I’ll be doing…

This tag came from the land of Booktube, more specifically from Jen Campbell; author, poet, YouTuber and altogether amazing human. The basic idea of this tag is to share 10 books that have effected you in such a way that you can remember where and when you read them.

I am not going to be sharing 10 books today, for sake of length. I am instead going to share 5 books which have had a significant impact on me, so much so that I can remember everything about them. We’ll just crack on then, shall we?

The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

I remember the experience of reading this book vividly. I was given this book by my Primary 5 teacher read in an attempt to shut me up, because I ploughed through books like nobody’s business and was always ready for something else. While The Wee Free Men is one of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels which is geared more towards young adults, it was definitely still a more complicated read for me, given that I was roughly 9 years old at the time. That didn’t stop me though, and I spent (admittedly a significantly high number of) hours with my nose in this book. I would take it home in my little primary school homework bag, open it up and read to my heart’s content. This book did two things; challenged me and expanded my 9 year old self’s vocabulary to new heights, and introduced me to Terry Pratchett, one of my favourite authors in adulthood. I fell in love with the sarcastic commentary, the fantasy elements, the diversity of characters, and the size and potential of the Discworld.

Why is God Laughing?: The Path to Joy and Spiritual Optimism by Deepak Chopra

This is a slightly different book, and my reasoning for reading it may be bizarre. From the time I started secondary school and started learning more about religion and philosophy, I felt myself becoming conflicted and lost in my belief. I had never really felt like a Christian, and my family had never particularly raised me as such (despite being Christened and having in depth education on the religion in my younger years). I remember stumbling into the library when I was about 14, adamant I wanted to figure this out. I suppose in a way I wanted to find something I could relate to, or find myself, and I was using books to do that. I picked this book up, and I can barely remember anything about it, I can’t remember if I enjoyed it. But what I do remember is that once I had finished it, I realised I did not feel any deep connection to it, to religion or spirituality, and thus ended the fear of being lost. I remember this book so vividly because in my mind at the time, I was hopeful it would answer all my questions, and that if I felt something, anything, I’d be able to work things out. Turns out that doesn’t always work, and that’s okay.

The Famous Five by Enid Blyton

I am lumping these books together, as there are 21 books in this series by Enid Blyton. I had grown up reading Blyton books, such as The Faraway Tree and others. I read The Famous Five when I was in my final year of primary school. I had fallen and broken my ankle and was subsequently not allowed to go outside during break times or lunchtimes for 6 weeks, and so I spent every morning break and every lunchtime sitting alone with not much to do. I remember picking up the first of these books in that time, and getting hooked. I loved the characters, the pace, the mystery and the setting. I ended up reading The Famous Five books over the course of a month or so, reading a new one every day. This was the first, but most definitely not the last time that I looked upon books for guidance, happiness, companionship and more.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I read this book when I was in my final year of secondary school. I had had a really rough year, and had been heavily reliant on books during this time. I was at a low point when this book fell into my lap. I remember beginning this with apprehension, worrying that classics were maybe not for me. I was wrong. I become sorely addicted to this book and I spent many a study period at school devouring it. I remember going into my favourite study room with a cup of coffee, taking out the book and immersing myself in the story, distracting myself from myself and my problems. The time I spent reading Jane Eyre was and will always be special to me, and a reread is more than overdue!

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This is my favourite book of all time, and is another one that I read during my lowest point. In my secondary school each class was assigned an American classic to read, and mine was The Great Gatsby which -despite reading twice- I could not force myself to like. Another class had gotten to read To Kill a Mockingbird, and so I decided to see what the fuss was about. Four years on and I have reread it several times, I love it. One of my most vivid memories of this book is the first time I read it, and I was on a bus home from a really intense counselling session and I just wanted to distract myself. I ended up reading a particularly sad moment in the book (which in itself is not overly sad, but the circumstances of the story most definitely are) and I burst into tears on the bus. I remember being glued to the book and barely noticing that I was crying, until the old woman sat next to me asked me if I was alright.

This book and the story hold a special place in my heart, and whenever I feel a bit lost or not myself I pick it up and read a chapter or two, to distract. In addition to the story itself, my physical copy of the book was a sentimental object to me, which represented a saving grace during a hard time and it meant the world to me. Recently, I accidentally ruined my copy of the book by spilling a cup of tea over it, and I remember phoning my boyfriend in the middle of the night and crying for nearly an hour, because I truly felt I had lost something. However, my angel of a boyfriend kindly bought me another copy in the same edition, and I dried out my ruined copy and still have it and hold it dear. All is okay in the world.

So I was first introduced to the book blogging community and the bookish corner of YouTube when I googled a book I wanted to read, and a YouTube video came up. Since then I have been an avid watcher of what is titled “BookTube” and there are a number of YouTubers that I love and whose videos I will watch as soon as they appear in my subscription feed. These YouTubers – while creating a lot of bookish content – create a vast array of other videos which I find equally enjoyable. So here are a 3 of my favourite bookish YouTubers!

I have been watching Leena since her uni days in Aberystwyth and have been obsessed since. Leena creates extremely insightful, analytical and fun book reviews which always provide me with great recommendations. Her reading varies in genre and scope and I can always rely on her for a fantastic next read as well as a good giggle.

In addition to her BookTube content, Leena creates so much other content which I love! She has a series titled “Stupid Questions with Leena” where she interviews and has discussions with people with backgrounds which are different from hers, whether this be through faith, sexuality, gender and more. Most recently, Leena did 40 videos for every day of Lent, each was fun, poignant and unique. She has done videos with authors such as Sofia Khan, and Caitlin Moran, as well as collaborations with other YouTubers. Leena is a fantastic poet also, and has created many beautifully shot and eloquent videos of spoken poetry, my favourite being her poem on the Brexit referendum.

Another thing which I love about Leena is her presence on Instagram. Leena is an advocate for body positivity, and I often look to her Instagram (@leenanorms) for a reality check and a reminder that my body and my cellulite and everything else is completely okay. As well as this, Leena shares her current reads and other aspects of her life, with witty captioning and some BOMB ASS SELFIES.

Ariel is another YouTuber I’ve been watching for a long time and who I love. She is a Canadian YouTuber who is responsible for one of my favourite bookish events of the year, the “BookTubeathon” and she creates a variety of great videos.

Ariel used to read a lot of young adult fiction, which suited me at the time which I first started watching her, however as her reading tastes have changed the books she reads and reviews have changed also, and her content and analysis of books is just as brilliant as ever. I relate to Ariel for a number of reasons, namely because she admits that she doesn’t read that much, yet she still has the same passion and adoration of books as any other BookTuber.

Ariel also creates a lot of beautifully produced travel videos and observational videos, my favourite being a beautiful video about people reading on public transport in London. Ariel makes a number of insighftul bookish discussions relating to things such as the increase in YouTubers publishing books, writing, journalling and more. I love her humour and her ability to create analytical, informative and inspiring content.

Jean is a Scottish YouTuber based in London, who is studying a PhD while also a creative producer for Pan Macmillan, a publishing company. Jean does book hauls, reviews, wrap ups, discussions, collabs and runs a book club called the Feminist Orchestra. Her content is captivating and well produced, and her personality shines through in every video. Jean formats her videos in interesting and unique ways, whether it be a video recommending adult fiction based on young adult preferences, or doing mini reviews in groups of 3 on specific topics (such as dystopian). What I love about Jean’s channel is that she reads a lot of Ancient Greek literature, as well as classics and non fiction, which are areas I am interested in but have not read much of. Jean’s passion for Ancient Greek literature is obvious in her videos on said literature and is inclusive and helpful for Ancient literature novices like myself!

Jean also creates a number of non bookish videos, never shying away from discussing feminism, politics and -most recently- mental health. Jean also has a study tips series, with university tips and stationery recommendations, which I have found incredibly useful! In short, Jean is a well rounded YouTuber who I love to watch!

I hope you guys enjoyed this mini recommendation of 3 of my favourite bookish YouTubers! If you’d like to see another recommendation video let me know, as I have several more people that I watch regularly and that I’d love to share!

This feels like my first book review in ages! Today I’m going to review the book I most recently finished; The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa.

I took my book down to the river Don and I read it in the sun…blissful!He is a brilliant maths professor with a peculiar problem – ever since a traumatic head injury seventeen years ago, he has lived with only eighty minutes of short-term memory.

She is a sensitive but astute young housekeeper who is entrusted to take care of him.

Each morning, as the Professor and the Housekeeper are reintroduced to one another, a strange, beautiful relationship blossoms between them. The Professor may not remember what he had for breakfast, but his mind is still alive with elegant equations from the past. He devises clever maths riddles – based on her shoe size or her birthday – and the numbers reveal a sheltering and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her ten-year-old son. With each new equation, the three lost souls forge an affection more mysterious than imaginary numbers, and a bond that runs deeper than memory. (Goodreads)

This book was so interesting to read as I loved the incorporation of a memory impairment into the synopsis. I am a social sciences student, and I have studied cognitive psychology and impairments to cognitive processes – such as short term memory – in depth. I have never read a piece of fiction before that manages to incorporate amnesia into a character’s narrative, and I think Ogawa did a magnificent job at portraying a life or experience she has not experienced.

I loved the character of the professor. He is so complex and while on the surface he appears to be an eccentric mathematician who never stops talking about numbers; as the housekeeper (whose name we never learn) gets to know him alongside her son, Root, she realises that there is so much more to him, and that he is a thoughtful, analytical, warm, caring man who seeks comforts in numbers and who used them to rationalise and understand aspects of his life.

As for the mathematics aspect of the book, I loved it! I am terrified of numbers and am fairly bad at maths, however I found the professor’s passion for the intricacies of numbers to be endearing. The professor uses numbers and mathematical theories to express emotions, to cope with his memory loss and confusions and to build a relationship with the housekeeper and her son. I love that the housekeeper seeks to properly understand the professor through his love of mathematics, and she begins to find the beauty within it and the intricacies.

I adore that the housekeeper and Root form a strong, warm, familial relationship with the professor which manages to overcome memory. It is delightfully uplifting and endearing to me. I would recommend this book to anybody who wants a short read with a plot you’ll never have read before, with relationships which are deep and meaningful, and with great writing. For a piece of fiction that has been translated from Japanese, this book flows spectacularly well. Read it!

Posting something a little bit different today, this is a review of 12 different flavours of Teapigs tea.

For those of you who don’t know this about me: I BLOODY LOVE TEA. I am an avid tea drinker and I am obsessed with trying different kinds and finding different mugs and vessels to drink it from. Thus it came as no surprise when I was gifted a box of Teapigs teabags from my best friend Hannah for my birthday.

This box contains 12 different kinds of tea, with 2 teabags per type. It is a pick n’ mix sample box (costing £15.99 plus postage) where you can select 12 out of 31 different options.

Now I have slowly but surely worked my way through all 12 flavours, and I have some thoughts on each flavour. If you are a tea fanatic (like myself), then why not go and make yourself a cuppa and then come back and read this post? I am drinking one while writing!

I must say before reviewing these teas, that this is based solely on my taste in tea and on my preferences, therefore just because I really like a certain tea or really dislike another it does not mean you will feel the same! I am primarily assessing these teas on their descriptions, what they are meant to taste like and the strength of flavour. I hope you enjoy!

Tea Temples

The interesting thing about Teapigs teabags is that they are shaped differently and made differently than regular teabags. What makes Teapigs teabags special is that they are biodegradable, mesh sacs containing whole leaf tea, with space for the leaves to infuse in the water. Personally, I prefer these sorts of teas as I feel they have more flavour and it is lovely being able to see the loose leaf tea and what is going in to making your perfect cuppa!

An example of a Teapigs temple bag (teabag is the Green Tea Detox).

1/ Everyday Brew

Description: This is Teapigs’ signature blend, comprised of Assam, Ceylon and Rwandan blends. It is essentially Teapigs’ version of an English Breakfast tea. It is available in packs of 15 or 50 tea temples, and as a loose leaf tea. For more information click here!

Thoughts: This tea was destined to be my favourite, as I am a sucker for black tea. I adore strong, breakfast teas; my favourite black teas being Yorkshire Gold Twinings Breakfast Tea or Twining’s Assam. This is perfect with a splash of milk for the perfect, energetic cup of tea. I would recommend this to anybody who enjoys a quintessentially British cup of tea, and prefers black teas to anything fancier, fruity or herbal.

2/ Bolly Good

Description: This is a chai blend which consists of Assam tea (which I love!) blended with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla. It is available in packs of 15 or 50 tea temples, and as a loose leaf tea. For more information click here!

Thoughts: This is a spicy blend and I actually quite enjoyed it! I didn’t leave the teabag in for too long as I prefer spicy teas to be slightly weaker, but it is tasty and the flavour wasn’t too overpowering. I’d recommend this for a winter night, or for people who want to drink tea but want something a bit more exciting than plain black tea. Add a bit of milk like I did and it’s a lovely drink that’ll warm you up from the inside.

3/ Melt Away

Description:This is a chocolate tea! Intrigue! It is a blend of black tea, cocoa beans and chocolate flakes. This is available in packs of 15 tea temples. For more information click here!

Thoughts: This is not a very chocolate-y tea as suggested on the website, however I really like this blend! It tastes like a regular black tea, yet with a slightly sweet aftertaste. This aftertaste is not specifically chocolate, but it definitely makes it easier to drink a black tea without milk or sugar. I’d recommend this to anybody who wants a bin of sweetness in their tea, but wants something subtle. I poured milk in after a few sips and I found I enjoyed that even more!

4/ Popcorn Tea: Fab Japanese Treat

Description: Toasted rice and green tea are blended together to create a traditional and nutty tea, known as Genmaicha. It is available in packs of 15 tea temples and as a loose leaf tea. For more information click here!

Thoughts: I am surprised at just how much I enjoyed this flavour! I normally do not like green tea blends, however the rice creates this aromatic, nutty flavour that reminds me of Sugar Puff cereal and which merges with the earthy taste of green tea. I found this one a surprisingly tasty -yet odd- flavour, and I’d recommend it to anybody who likes nutty and smokey flavours.

5/ Bursting with Berries: Super Fruit Tea

Description: This is a berry blend, which is full of anti-oxidant berries; namely cranberries and blueberries. It is available in packs of 15 or 50 tea temples, and as a loose leaf tea. For more information click here!

Thoughts: I like the taste of this tea, however it is not overly strong or sweet. I am not a massive fan of fruit tea, as I find that it makes me even more thirsty opposed to quenching my thirst. This, while tasty, left my mouth with a dry feeling after drinking it, which I’m not a fan of. I’d recommend this for anybody who loves fruit teas or berry flavours, but it just isn’t for me!

6/ Tea with Trimmings: Spiced Winter Red Tea

Description: This wintry blend is reminiscent of Christmas, comprised of redbush tea and a combination of orange peel and winter spieces such as cinnamon and cloves. It is available in packs of 15 tea temples. For more information click here!

Thoughts: This is like chai 2.0. It is incredibly spicy and the flavours are very strong and create an extremely aromatic and cosy cup of tea. However, I am not a fan of strong spice flavours, and while the chai is a bit more muted, this one is a bit too spicy for me. I would recommend this for winter nights for anyone who loves mulled wine or hot apple cider! It has all those qualities in a tea form, however is a bit stronger. It is nice to sip, however I could not drink a full cup.

7/ Lazy Days: Lemon and Ginger Tea

Description: This is a commonly paired combination of lemon and ginger, containing liquorice, which is reminiscent of British summer days. It is available in packs of 15 and 50 tea temples, and as a loose leaf tea. For more information click here!

Thoughts: This is not my favourite of the collection, however it is quite tasty. I am not much of a fan of ginger flavours in tea, however I felt this tea struck a good balance between lemon and ginger flavours, meaning the ginger was not too overpowering. I have heard that lemon and ginger tea is good for sore throats and for soothing purposes, and I’d recommend it is you like fruit teas, as well as spicy teas, as it is almost a combination of both.

8/ First Class: Darjeeling Tea

Description: Darjeeling tea originates from West Bengal, India and is commonly served without milk. It is available in packs of 15 tea temples, and as a loose leaf tea. For more information click here!

Thoughts: I can’t put my finger on this one, but I didn’t like it very much. It had an odd aftertaste which I didn’t really like, and it didn’t leave much of an impression on me. However, I think that may just be me and my tastebuds, it just wasn’t my cup of tea (get it?), but it may be someone else’s.

9/ Grey with Attitude: Earl Grey Strong

Description: This is a combination of Assam and Rwandan blends, with Ceylon and Darjeeling and the necessary zest of bergamot which categorises this tea as Early Grey. It is available in packs of 15 and 50 tea temples, and as a loose leaf tea. For more information click here!

Thoughts: I love this! I don’t drink Earl Grey very often, however I actually really enjoy the fragrant flavour. This is quite a strong taste, however Earl Grey is not a tea that you drink for muted flavour. I really like this and it made me feel like a posh lady while drinking it!

10/ Snooze: Sleepy Tea

Description: This is a soothing blend of apple, lavender and chamomile; which is marketed to aid in a good night of sleep. It is available in packs of 15 tea temples. For more information click here!

Thoughts: I was extremely excited to try this tea as I often take a really long time to fall asleep, as my thoughts are most intense right before I go to sleep. I drink a lot of caffeine too and so I was excited to see how this tea would succeed as a replacement for a cup of Yorkshire Gold before bed. I was not disappointed!

The taste is definitely not for everybody, as the lavender aftertaste is definitely quite different. However, I loved it! I realised that the act of having a hot drink before bed is just as comforting regardless of the blend, and I actually felt a lot better for having a tea without caffeine before my bed, and I felt I was in a cosy and comforted frame of mind before falling asleep. I would recommend this if you are a fan of chamomile already, however if you are not keen on floral scents or flavours I would suggest opting for something different. While it says there are hints of apple, I did not pick up any apple flavours, but this could possibly be due to the strength of the lavender. I definitely want to purchase more of this!

11/ Clean n Green: Detox Tea

Description: This is a combination of green tea, lemongrass, ginger, coconut and dandelion leaves. It is means to be a refreshing, detox tea that can be served iced or hot. It is available in packs of 15 tea temples. For more information click here!

Thoughts: I actually enjoyed this more than I usually enjoy green tea (I really don’t like plain green tea). This is a great alternative for those who don’t like the taste of green tea but want the health benefits. It is sweeter, however lemongrass and ginger are somewhat overpowering. I was looking forward to the taste of coconut, however it did not come through. That being said, this is definitely more drinkable than plain green tea, and it feels very fresh.

12/ Up Beet : Energy Tea

Description: This tea is a blend of beets, spices and hibiscus and is meant to give you energy when you drink. It is available in packs of 15 tea temples. For more information click here!

Thoughts: I was extremely nervous about this tea, as it is primarily beetroot, which I don’t really like eating. I enjoyed this tea, however it is not a favourite. It has quite an earthy taste, which I normally don’t enjoy (spoiler alert: I don’t like green tea that much!), but I found this easier to drink. I would recommend this to people who like green tea, as it is not a very sweet tea and is definitely quite a strong flavour. As for the energy benefits, I can’t say that it gave me any more energy, however I find drinking tea of any sort to be a somewhat rejuvenating act.

I hope you guys enjoyed this extremely in depth tea review of Teapigs teabags. I hope I have inspired you to try a new flavour, or to stock up on a trusty favourite. I love Teapigs and despite not loving every single flavour or type of tea, I applaud Teapigs for making such high quality teas in such an array of blends, there is truly something for everybody.

My favourites of the collection were:

Everyday Brew

Popcorn Tea

Snooze : Sleepy Tea

Check out Teapigs to have a browse, to shop by mood or even by blend of tea. I hope your next cuppa is as good as you deserve!

I turned 21 on the 18th of May and was lucky enough to be surrounded by the most amazing people and I can safely say it was the best birthday I’ve had in years. While I was not gifted any books, I received two extremely literary birthday cakes, and I received a gift card for the mothership, Waterstones! And thus, I have a book haul for you guys!

Let’s start with the birthday cakes though…because….cake.

Look familiar? My wonderful boyfriend Liam made me this fantastic cake inspired by the cake that Hagrid makes for Harry in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone! “Afraid I might have sat on it at some point but I imagine it’ll taste fine just the same!”My best friend Lauren had this cake made for me for my birthday. To Kill a Mockingbird is my favourite book of all time and I could not believe my eyes when I saw this cake. I got very emotional and did not enjoy cutting through it with a knife. It was too pretty to eat!Now that I’ve made you all hungry (sorry!), shall we talk about the books I bought? Yes? Okay!

P.s. If you are interested in any of these books and would like too purchase them for yourself (I don’t blame you), I have linked to their pages on Amazon.

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (published by Vintage, translated by Stephen Snyder).

He is a brilliant maths professor with a peculiar problem – ever since a traumatic head injury seventeen years ago, he has lived with only eighty minutes of short-term memory.

She is a sensitive but astute young housekeeper who is entrusted to take care of him.

Each morning, as the Professor and the Housekeeper are reintroduced to one another, a strange, beautiful relationship blossoms between them. The Professor may not remember what he had for breakfast, but his mind is still alive with elegant equations from the past. He devises clever maths riddles – based on her shoe size or her birthday – and the numbers reveal a sheltering and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her ten-year-old son. With each new equation, the three lost souls forge an affection more mysterious than imaginary numbers, and a bond that runs deeper than memory. (Goodreads)

Funnily enough, when I was perusing the shelves in Waterstones this book stood out to me for the title. I read the title and automatically (and quite wrongly) assumed that this book was going to be some sort of trashy romance novel. However, when I picked it off of the shelf and sceptically read the synopsis, I bought it without question and took it home and began reading instantly.

I am fascinated by memory and I have recently been studying amnesia and cognitive impairments to memory at university. I also am extremely interested in and love reading about intergenerational friendships and relationships of any sort, as I find these books immensely heartwarming and important, as I myself love socialising and learning from older people. I am 50 pages into this book so far and I adore it!

Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami (published by Harvil Secker, translated by Philip Gabriel and Ted Goossen).Across seven tales, Haruki Murakami brings his powers of observation to bear on the lives of men who, in their own ways, find themselves alone. Here are vanishing cats and smoky bars, lonely hearts and mysterious women, baseball and the Beatles, woven together to tell stories that speak to us all.

Marked by the same wry humor that has defined his entire body of work, in this collection Murakami has crafted another contemporary classic. (Goodreads)

I have only ever read one book by Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart, and I thoroughly enjoyed his writing and am eager to read more by him. The title of this book intrigues me, as I think it could be very poignant and shed valuable insights on society and on the relationship between genders, showing this through its absence. This book was released this month and so is only available in hardback at the moment, but I love the cover!

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (published by Sphere).Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination, but an answer.

In heaven, five people explain your life to you. Some you knew, others may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie’s five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his “meaningless” life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: “Why was I here?” (Goodreads)

I have wanted to read this book for some time, as I am extremely taken by this idea of five people who may have been constant or strangers in a person’s life being so integral to retelling their story. I am interested in different perspectives on afterlife and the idea of heaven, as while I don’t necessarily believe in heaven, the notion is both interesting and comforting. I am excited to read this and see if it moves me in the way I expect it to!

Men Without Women by Ernest Hemingway (published by Arrow).First published in 1927, Men Without Women represents some of Hemingway’s most important and compelling early writing. In these fourteen stories, Hemingway begins to examine the themes that would occupy his later works: the casualties of war, the often uneasy relationship between men and women, sport and sportsmanship. In “Banal Story,” Hemingway offers a lasting tribute to the famed matador Maera. “In Another Country” tells of an Italian major recovering from war wounds as he mourns the untimely death of his wife. “The Killers” is the hard-edged story about two Chicago gunmen and their potential victim. Nick Adams makes an appearance in “Ten Indians,” in which he is presumably betrayed by his Indian girlfriend, Prudence. And “Hills Like White Elephants” is a young couple’s subtle, heartwrenching discussion of abortion. Pared down, gritty, and subtly expressive, these stories show the young Hemingway emerging as America’s finest short story writer. (Goodreads)

I hate to confess it…but I have never read any Hemingway before, which is shocking! I love American literature and American classics, and I thought a short story collection may be the ideal place to start with Hemingway. Also, this book has the same title as the Murakami book I purchased, and I am eager to read them back to back to establish whether Hemingway played a significant role in inspiring Murakami’s work. Can’t wait to read this, plus it is a short book, a quick read.

Grand Hotel by Vicki Baum (published by The New York Review of Books, translated by Basil Creighton).A grand hotel in the center of 1920s Berlin serves as a microcosm of the modern world in Vicki Baum s celebrated novel, a Weimar-era best seller that retains all its verve and luster today. Among the guests of the hotel is Doctor Otternschlag, a World War I veteran whose face has been sliced in half by a shell. Day after day he emerges to read the paper in the lobby, discreetly inquiring at the desk if the letter he s been awaiting for years has arrived. Then there is Grusinskaya, a great ballerina now fighting a losing battle not so much against age as against her fear of it, who may or may not be made for Gaigern, a sleek professional thief. Herr Preysing also checks in, the director of a family firm that isn t as flourishing as it appears, who would never imagine that Kringelein, his underling, a timorous petty clerk he s bullied for years, has also come to Berlin, determined to live at last now that he s received a medical death sentence. All these characters and more, with all their secrets and aspirations, come together and come alive in the pages of Baum s delicious and disturbing masterpiece.” (Amazon)

I love the sound of this book! I love books set or written in the 1920s, and I have never read anything that would be considered a German modern classic. This sounds mysterious, interesting and decadent. I can’t wait to pick this up.

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (published by Fourth Estate).Fifteen-year-old Kambili’s world is circumscribed by the high walls and frangipani trees of her family compound. Her wealthy Catholic father, under whose shadow Kambili lives, while generous and politically active in the community, is repressive and fanatically religious at home.

When Nigeria begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili’s father sends her and her brother away to stay with their aunt, a University professor, whose house is noisy and full of laughter. There, Kambili and her brother discover a life and love beyond the confines of their father’s authority. The visit will lift the silence from their world and, in time, give rise to devotion and defiance that reveal themselves in profound and unexpected ways.

This is a book about the promise of freedom; about the blurred lines between childhood and adulthood; between love and hatred, between the old gods and the new. (Goodreads)

I read Americanah by Adichie this year and I absolutely adored it. Her ability to create flawed but realistic characters and to immerse you in a story is like no other. I love her work, as it is extremely empowering and feminist, as well as just incredibly beautiful to read. I am so excited for Purple Hibiscus, and I am excited to read more about Nigeria and the circumstances of Nigeria in this story.

I am extremely pleased with the books I have purchased and I can’t wait to read them all over the summer months. I have a variety of books from a diverse group of authors, and I am pleased to say three of the six are pieces of translated fiction! I am looking forward to reviewing each one as I read them. I’m going to be busy!

I have not written or published a blog post in about 3 months, which is upsetting. There are several reasons for this (namely a wild couple of months, some upsets, poor mental health, and a lack of time management) but I’m not going to dwell too much.

I love blogging and I love reading, however life has steadily been getting in the way of my reading, making book blogging slightly tricky. However, I am trying my hardest to put time into the things that make me most happy, and reading is one of those things. I am writing this blog post as a reminder to myself to dedicate more time to things I love and care about, and I want to start posting regularly again. While not all posts will revolve around books, I am excited to get back into writing again, I hope some of you will stick around!

The first time I remember properly classifying myself as a feminist was during a sociology seminar in my first year of university. You might be thinking this is incredibly late, which I suppose it is. However, while I may not have attached the label to my identity until then, I have always been what I’d deem a ‘feminist in progress’ or an ‘unknowing feminist’ and I work on it every day and I try to be better for myself and for the movement.

Feminism is defined in simple terms as the advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes. This definition can be extended and elaborated on in that the movement simply aims for equality of all people, regardless of gender identification, physical sex or binary.

In the time I’ve spent reflecting on feminism and the label I have assigned myself, my views have altered and adapted. When I first announced that I thought of myself as a feminist, as well as feeling liberated, uplifted and exuberant, I felt nerves. My naive and relatively uneducated self had always considered feminism to be something for highly intelligent, academic women who could form an argument, exuded power and strength and who broke the glass ceiling every day. Emma Watson, for example. Maya Angelou. Caitlin Moran. Germaine Greer. Michelle Obama. All the amazing women. They were feminists who had DONE STUFF. They understood the word, wore the word, added meaning to it, plastered it over Twitter bios and YouTube videos. I doubted myself in many ways…was I really a feminist, or just someone who observed and supported the feminist movement from the sidelines, waving a flag or some witty and punny sign that showed my dedication and respect without having anything relevant to add or contribute? I wasn’t sure what to classify myself as or what I could add to the discussion. Did I qualify? Was I too privileged? What was the deal?

After study, reading and learning a little about what was going on, I realised that the questions I was asking myself were redundant. The very idea of feminism is, like I said, equality for all. It is a universal struggle of all people and all women, arguing for equal respect and treatment of all. Intelligence, poignancy and eloquence, or indeed ‘qualifying’ don’t come into it even slightly. The way I see it according to those ideologies, is that if you believe in any of the above, you couldn’t possibly be anything OTHER than a feminist. Feminism is for everyone and anyone. Anyone who has a vagina, anyone who doesn’t. Anyone who identifies as female, anyone who doesn’t. Feminism was for me. A way for me to congregate under a collective title with all other supporters of equal rights, in an attempt to not just smash the glass ceiling, but completely and utterly annihilate it.

Feminism to me is something I am extremely proud to classify myself under. While I wish it didn’t need to exist, there is a need for it and therefore I want to be involved. I haven’t figured out exactly how yet, but for now these blog posts will give me a chance to voice my thoughts. They may not be overly poignant or groundbreaking and will probably have been voiced by people before me, but I am in on a discussion and I like it.

Back my popular demand (or on my own accord…as I’m not all that popular) with a book review for you!

In this bestselling and delightfully quirky debut novel from Sweden, a grumpy yet loveable man finds his solitary world turned on its head when a boisterous young family moves in next door.

Meet Ove. He’s a curmudgeon—the kind of man who points at people he dislikes as if they were burglars caught outside his bedroom window. He has staunch principles, strict routines, and a short fuse. People call him “the bitter neighbor from hell.” But must Ove be bitter just because he doesn’t walk around with a smile plastered to his face all the time?

Behind the cranky exterior there is a story and a sadness. So when one November morning a chatty young couple with two chatty young daughters move in next door and accidentally flatten Ove’s mailbox, it is the lead-in to a comical and heartwarming tale of unkempt cats, unexpected friendship, and the ancient art of backing up a U-Haul. All of which will change one cranky old man and a local residents’ association to their very foundations.

A feel-good story in the spirit of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, Fredrik Backman’s novel about the angry old man next door is a thoughtful and charming exploration of the profound impact one life has on countless others. (Goodreads)

I picked this book up because I didn’t know what to read and as I have Amazon Prime I could download it for free on my Kindle. I started it and whizzed through it in no time at all. I found this book incredibly easy to read and so enjoyable that I was almost sad when it finished.

This book follows Ove in the present (as a 59 year old) while dotting back chapter to chapter to his past, recounting memories and experiences from his childhood, work life and meeting his wife. I really enjoyed the insights into Ove’s past that were interspersed through the book as it gave context to the way that Ove behaves and acts and feels as an older man.

This book deals with several issues that I find interesting and puts a spin on them. I won’t explain how it does this, but it discusses grief, bereavement, ageing, change, acceptance, deterioration, family, what constitutes a family and suicide, while still managing to be uplifting and at times very funny. There were moments in this book where I burst out laughing, and others where I needed tissues because I was sobbing.

I loved Ove as a character. He reminded me of character’s like Ebenezer Scrooge or the Grinch, in that he appears to be a grumpy and mean individual. However as the book progresses and we learn more of Ove’s past and we see him living his day to day life, he becomes lovable and we realise he is far more complex than what he seems. I love books from perspectives distant from my own, and so I welcome books like A Man Called Ove.

In summary, this book was funny, charming, heartwarming and emotive. It was incredibly well written, and the messages within gave me a lot to think about. My most important take away from this book was to never underestimate the impact you may have on somebody else’s life, regardless of how small or seemingly insignificant. I would thoroughly recommend this if you want an easy read, or one that’ll make you smile, laugh, sob and feel uplifted. Enjoy!